Possible move to Italy information needed...........Please!!

[jmg1]

I am considering moving to Italy for a year and staying if it works out. As some of you know I am a single Dad with 3 children under five and 2 dogs. I have Pet Passports for the Dogs.
I need help/advice on oraganising the following:

1. Recommendations on which part of the country to go to and how to find a 5 or 6 bedroom house to Rent for one year. Rental about £2k per month.

2. Two people to provide practical help, like au pairs who could live in, who can speak italian.

3. Best way to start learning Italian before I go, I am not good at languages!

Thank you in advance.

Ooh the power . And you will pay me how much to keep schtum?

lou - sadly that blackmail opportunity has been scuppered by the fact jmg knows the sorry truth too!! You'll have to scare him into silence before you can start bargaining!!!

I don't see that should be a problem.

Ok then - how about I take dd1 off your hands and if you ever break the silence you get her AND my dd returned to you!!!

See my thread about my kids driving me mad wk, you can have the lot!

Nooooo, I think just taking your dd1 will be enough to convince you to stay quiet!!!

Not a chance.

Have you noticed how Jmg has scurried away now we are chatting?

I did notice - and I also noticed that we've hijacked his thread, poor norty boy!!! Fancy confining ourselves to the bar and letting them get on with 'serious' talk???

Ok

Sorry Jmg

Sorry jmg - we'll have to go off to the bar and severely reprimand each other!!!

Any more norty mummy and norty daughter shenanigans and I will be reprimanding the both of you's!

We'll be good now then (sorry to disappoint you!)

Glad to see you crept back when the coast was clear!!!

He's all talk WK

Lol, too right lou!!! When it comes to real punishment time, he'll run a mile!!!

Come for a drink in the bar jmg

He's already run away again I think lou!!! Can't handle both of us!!!

Typical man, all talk....

No trousers!!!

I wouldn't know, he was fully clothed when I left him with you.

PMSL!!!! You norty girl - you know exactly what I mean!!! And I'm not having any conversation with you about jmg and his trousers - recipe for disaster!!!

Anyway - seeing as you've met me and you know what a perfect lady I am, you wouldn't have been trying to stir up more gossip would you???

Thought you wanted to take it to the bar?!!!

I did, you dragged me back in here again!!!

very interesting question. don't know if answer is any longer relevant. maybe useful info for others if not.

if it were me and i was moving to a new country with kids single handed and i had the funds to do so - i would:

• leave the kids with a relative or nanny for 3 - 5 nights
• go to relevant country (possibly with a friend) and check out my top 3 areas (having done some desk research first)
• select an area and arrange to go back there and do a short intensive language course with contact teachers for follow-on regular lessons.
• check out playgroups/schools, properties and other logistics.
• i would then get house, telecomms and au pairs sorted before the move probably hire a bilingual pa as well to keep things running smoothly when i was back home or abroad.

useful links (if considering tuscany but some generic and each has its regional version:
bilingual pas
www.monster.it/
(search under admin)

language
www.scuolaleonardo.com/
www.ilm.it/it/

property
www.tecnocasa.it/index_ita800.shtml

broadband
fastweb - www.fastweb.it/indexn.php?RedirectionMsg=Access+from+outside+FastWeb&FlagGAF=

aupairs
aupairflorence.com/
www.comune.firenze.it/
(this site also in english)

schools
www.toscana.istruzione.it/docenti/2004.shtml